5
Isixwayiso Kwabafebayo
1 Ndodana yami, nanzelela ukuhlakanipha kwami,
ulalele kuhle amazwi ami alombono,
2 ukuze uhlale ukwazi ukukhetha okuqondileyo
lokuze izindebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 Phela izindebe zesifebekazi zithonta uluju,
lenkulumo yaso iyatshelela kulamafutha;
4 kodwa ekucineni iyababa ingathi yinyongo,
ibukhali njengenkemba esika nxa zombili.
5 Inyawo zaso zehlela ekufeni;
izinyathelo zaso ziqonda nta elibeni.
6 Kasikhathali ukuthi kuphilwa njani;
izindlela zaso ziyazombeleza, kodwa kasikuboni lokho.
7 Ngalokho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani;
lingaphambuki kulokho engikukhulumayo.
8 Hambani ngendlela ekhatshana kwaso,
lingasondeli emnyango wendlu yaso,
9 funa unikele kwabanye amandla akho wonke
lobudala bakho kulowo olesihluku,
10 funa abemzini bazitike ngenotho yakho
lokusebenza kwakho kunothise umuzi wenye indoda.
11 Ekupheleni kokuphila kwakho uzabubula,
lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekugugile.
12 Uzakuthi, “Uthi ngangikuzonda yini ukulaywa!
Inhliziyo yami yayikuzonda njani ukuqondiswa!
13 Ngangingafuni ukulalela abafundisi bami
kumbe ukulalela abeluleki bami.
14 Ngacina sengisenkingeni enkulu
ngiphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.”
15 Natha amanzi kowakho umgqomo,
amanzi agelezayo kowakho umthombo.
16 Kambe imifudlana yakho ingayekelwa
igelezela emigwaqweni,
lezifula zakho zamanzi
zigelezele ezinkundleni zabantu na?
17 Kazibe ngezakho wena wedwa,
ungazabelani labafokazana nje.
18 Sengathi ungabusiswa umthombo wakho
njalo sengathi ungathokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.
19 Oyimpalakazi ethandekayo, imbabala ebutshelezi
amabele akhe sengathi angakusuthisa lanini, nini lanini
ukhangwe luthando lwakhe.
20 Kungani ndodana yami,
uthunjwa yisifebekazi?
Kungani ugona iqolo lomfazi wenye indoda?
21 Phela izindlela zomuntu zisobala kuThixo,
uyazihlola zonke izindlela zakhe.
22 Izenzo ezimbi zomuntu omubi ziyamthiya;
izibopho zesono sakhe zimuthe nko.
23 Uzabhubha ngoba engalayeki,
elahlekiswa yibuphukuphuku bakhe.